


Just 60 minutes

by redshu



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Short Story, Zhangjing's birthday fic cuz he's special, mainly conversations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 10:18:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16038434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redshu/pseuds/redshu
Summary: Yanjun is an English lecturer in the university on weekdays. Zhangjing works at the zoo on weekends. Their timings never coincide, but they make the effort to.





	Just 60 minutes

**Author's Note:**

> Cuz Zhangjing is special :)

“Mr Lin, there’s someone standing by the door,” his student turns around and raises a thumb towards the doorway of the lecture hall.

 

It’s noon, the lecture’s done fifteen minutes ago but he could not foresee the long line of students waiting to consult him on the queries they had with the lecture.

 

Maybe that new chapter on linguistics was too complex for understanding, or maybe it was that he was _that_ handsome and all the students wanted a chance to talk to him.

 

But knowing that a particular someone was waiting for him brought a huge smile to his face.

 

_He is his one and only one._

 

He was expecting this, yet this doesn’t stop his heart from beating faster in excitement, before glancing towards the door with an obvious smile on his face.

 

In white shirt and ripped jeans, he is doe eyed and curly locks of hair, that toothy grin in response to his smile. Waving with his slightly shorter fingers which Yanjun knew would fit nicely in between his.

 

Yanjun mouths some words to him silently before going back to the consultation with the students.

 

Words that left the students in confusion but nonetheless forget about it when Yanjun started answering their burning questions on the topic.

 

Those words that left Zhangjing’s heart fluttering before he turned away from the door and stood there with his back facing the wall.

_Legs that crossed and the grin that never left._

 

He whips out his phone and types out a message.

 

By now, Yanjun is left with one final student when he hears the notification bell on his phone go off.

 

He holds it up, the subtle smile that surfaces before the student sees it.

 

“ _I missed you too,_ ” it writes.

 

//

 

They’re back at the cafeteria, the one nearest to the lecture theatre because Yanjun’s next lecture is in one hour and he cannot afford to be late.

 

Or at least, he felt that being punctual was a form of showing respect for his students. Hence, he was never late except for a few dire situations that involved a punctured car tyre or _Zhangjing_.

 

Sitting across the table, Zhangjing holds up the signature blue lunch box, it’s that medium sized fit that he frequently used.

 

Placing it in front of him, Yanjun couldn’t ignore the characteristic smell that comes along with it that Yanjun couldn’t point a finger to, yet he knew that it wasn’t something he was used to.

 

_Eager questions surfacing one after another._

 

“What did you make for me today? Salmon salad? Chicken wrap? Fishballs?” Yanjun asks while excitedly pulling off the lid while Zhangjing watched him with a sheepish smile on his face.

 

Staring at him was a meatball sandwich. _Not that he didn’t like sandwiches, but he knew the source of the sandwich._

 

Yet the smile on Yanjun’s face fell immediately, Zhangjing knew he was caught. He pouts, and apologizes.

 

“ _Subway_...,” Yanjun complaints, holding up the sandwich with two hands and starting with a first bite, he tries to smile to cheer the latter up, “it’s nice though, you got my favourite flavour.”

 

Zhangjing sighs with crestfallen eyes, _well_ he had accidentally overslept today because Yanjun couldn’t stop talking while they were cuddled up in bed the night before, he was so tired yet he couldn’t bear to tell Yanjun to keep quiet from how he seemed too carried away with the one-sided conversation..

 

“ _I overslept..._ ,” he confesses, watching Yanjun munch on the sandwich in delight.

 

“I know, I could tell from how you were still sleeping like a _baby_ this morning,” Yanjun gushes, cute dimples showing on his cheeks as Zhangjing watched him, a finger tempted to wipe off the bit of ketchup by the side of his lips.

 

Even with many watchful eyes around, Zhangjing doesn’t hold back, rubbing a thumb to the side of _his_ lips with the red stain.

 

“I guess I’m not the only baby here,” he shrugs, putting the finger into his mouth despite the incredulous look on Yanjun’s face, “the sauce is pretty nice, except that I can cook better.”

 

Zhangjing’s overconfident self surfaces again, of course it was because Zhangjing was only good at two things in the world, _one is making people happy and the other is his culinary skills._

 

“I know you do. Let’s skip dinner outside and eat your dishes tonight,” Yanjun suggests, a finger pointing to Zhangjing but Zhangjing grabbed it tightly in his palm, “no such hope, I told you we needed to buy a new carton of beer from the supermarket tonight.”

 

_Zhangjing is that ridiculous._

 

“Beer is fattening, drink wine,” Yanjun, the wine enthusiast commented like it was his second job.

 

I _t doesn’t take Zhangjing two seconds to reply to that._

 

“Wine then. But only the red one,” he repeats it as he always did, “ _the white one’s always too sweet_.”

 

Yanjun’s voices out the same sentence as he did, it had been committed to memory since the time he knew Zhangjing. A characteristic Zhangjing, hence the same reply he always used.

 

_“Says the person who likes beer.”_

 

Zhangjing rolls his eyes while chanting that same statement as Yanjun, igniting a giggle from the both of them.

 

Yanjun is chewing quietly, watching Zhangjing’s violent laughter that didn’t seem to be stopping soon.

 

“ _You make me want to kiss you now_ ,” he says, a deep frown forming on Zhangjing’s forehead immediately as he raised a hand to slap Yanjun’s wrist.

_Jokes that Yanjun says all day long, Zhangjing had long gotten used to it._

 

“You know we can’t do it here,” he whispers, as if the low volume would have made any difference in the noisy cafeteria.

 

Yanjun laughs as he bit on a particularly huge piece of meatball, “that’s why we should go to our favourite spot after I’m done.”

 

There is Yanjun wriggling his eyebrows at Zhangjing and earning yet another slap on his chest.

 

This time, he grabs hold of _his_ hand and leaves it on his chest.

 

Silence, _one, two, three._

 

His heart skipping many beats because its speeding all the time.

 

“You have this power on me, you know that,” Yanjun says, staring deep into the deep bright eyes watching him closely. _Reciprocating his feelings, his sincerity._

 

“Reflect on yourself too,” he replies, its teasing and _distracting_ , before he takes a huge mouth of Yanjun’s sandwich.

 

//

 

Yanjun hears the slide of hangers against the closet, _that someone_ who slams the door a bit too roughly and then loud curse.

 

He knows who it is, that’s why he’s grinning despite shutting his eyes tightly to block away the morning sunlight.

 

When he finally brings himself to wake up, he opens his eyes to the beautiful sight of Zhangjing’s _bare_ chest, a pink shirt loosely draped over his shoulders as he tugged mindfully at the buttons.

 

It’s one that Yanjun recognises immediately, the one he had chosen for Zhangjing’s birthday a year ago despite huge protests from the latter. “ _My baby looks good in pink._ ” “Oh stop it, I don’t want to look like a doll on my birthday.” “I like it when guys wear pink shirts. _Especially you._ ”

 

Ever since then, Zhangjing has been extra wary of Yanjun catching a glimpse of other guys who happened to be wearing pink.

 

Jealous? He might be.

 

Still, Zhangjing in a pink shirt was something Yanjun could watch for hours, let alone a few tens of seconds.

 

He peers curiously at the guy with a cute frown pulling down the side of his lips, the button doesn’t seem to go the way he wants to, perhaps it is the slippery fingers that he always misses the gap.

 

It’s another sigh from Zhangjing before Yanjun was spotted muffling his giggles, trying not to catch Zhangjing’s attention by buffering the sound against the mattress.

 

The smaller guy’s eyes widened to the sudden ruffle against the sheets, _oh Yanjun’s awake_ , but shoots him a glare the next second as he turned away while trying to work the buttons.

 

“ _Baby_ , tell me if you need help,” Yanjun laughs, getting up and heading towards Zhangjing who shrugged him away with a “ _no need_.”

 

The sharp voice of his was an obvious giveaway.

 

Yanjun knows that he’s trying to play it cool so he turns Zhangjing 180 degrees to face him, Zhangjing looking down nervously while biting his lip.

 

“It’s always the third button,” Yanjun comments, watching how Zhangjing’s eyes shift as Yanjun fits in the button, fingers lightly grazing over his body, _it’s cool over his skin and Zhangjing shivers in delight._

 

Even after so long, the nervousness never dissipates when Yanjun touches him.

 

Nor does the fluttery feeling that surfaces when Yanjun brings lunch to him.

 

_How about the kisses that Yanjun pepper him with whenever he finds an oportunity?_

 

“ _There_ ,” Yanjun’s fingers leave the last button, he gazes into Zhangjing’s eyes that was responding with a sweet eye smile.

 

“Thanks,” he says, and Yanjun’s sliding his arms to Zhangjing’s waist and holding him close. _So close._

 

He feels the soft breaths of Yanjun against the tip of his nose, tickling the skin and _warming his heart._   He reciprocates by circling his arms over Yanjun’s neck, before they lean closer to kiss.

 

Just light tugs on his lips and small licks against his cheeks, it ignites a laughter from both.

 

Zhangjing’s going for a round two with the kiss, but Yanjun holds him away with a whisper, “ _Baby you’re going to be late._ ”

 

There’s an immediate shock in Zhangjing’s eyes when he glances at the clock, scrambling away from Yanjun’s arms while saying a quick _bye_ and walking through the doorway.

 

Zhangjing is putting on his shoes quickly while Yanjun stands beside him, leaning tiredly against the adjacent wall, “want me to drive you to work?”

 

The smaller boy shakes his head with a cute smile, “I can catch the bus in time if I leave now. _Plus, you look tired._ ”

 

He’s halfway out of the main door when Yanjun shouts, “ _but I want to see you._ ”

 

Like a plea but never too serious, Zhangjing takes it lightly and responds light-heartedly, “lunch is in a few hours. _You’ll get to see me soon_.”

 

Yanjun waving eagerly till Zhangjing is out of sight.

 

//

 

The weekend crowd at the zoo is never forgiving, but Zhangjing loved his job.

 

Even when he gets bombarded by numerous questions from locals and tourists, despite the hustle and bustle and squeezing through crowds, it was something he loved.

 

The animals, the kids, _the people._

 

He loved bringing smiles to others, he enjoyed being in crowded areas.

 

It’s lively, cheerful, _bright_. The chirping of birds, the pitter patter of footsteps, the laughter of children.

 

But not the unusual chatter and screech of a monkey startles him from behind.

 

“ _What-_ ,” he is tongue tied by the ridiculously childish behaviour of the person behind him, wrapping an arm over his waist with a smug smile while he returns a fuming expression, relaxing to a small smile that he tries to hide, “please stop making monkey sounds unless you belong in a zoo.”

 

It’s sarcastic, and Yanjun replies cleverly, “ _if you own this zoo, I’ll be the first animal to join._ ”

 

It’s a fist against his chest again and Yanjun finds it cute. _Zhangjing’s always violent but he would never hurt him, he’s adorable in every way possible._

 

Leaning closer as they headed towards the pavilion which was less crowded, occasionally trampling onto each other’s foot and laughing easily.

 

There’s a usual spot by the lake that they would occupy every weekend.

 

“What did you make today?” Zhangjing asked excitedly, opening his lunch box made up of love. Yanjun isn’t the best cook, but at least his meals are getting more appetising by the day.

 

It’s a mess of cherry tomatoes against penne, bits of chicken appearing here and there with a characteristic smell of garlic and spice.

 

“ _Oh, the decoration’s ruined_ ,” Yanjun mumbles unintentionally, watching the mess he had made of the pasta dish he had crafted with much effort.

 

“It’s fine, I love it nonetheless,” Zhangjing commented, glancing around their surroundings before planting a kiss on Yanjun’s cheek, “ _thank you._ ”

 

Zhangjing holds out a fork and probes the food, gulping down several portions because despite the unsightly display, it had tasted quite good.

 

_Or rather, it was good enough for Zhangjing’s standards._

 

Even if Yanjun had undercooked everything, Zhangjing would say that it tastes nice while risking a subsequent stomachache.

 

Because this is love.

 

//

 

_You don’t need a lot of time._

_You don’t need an elaborate event._

_Nor do you need to go beyond your ability._

Effort comes naturally when you are dedicated.

_Not just 60 minutes, even 60 seconds will be enough._

**Author's Note:**

> Ship ship ship Zhangjun XD
> 
> Comments are always appreciated :)


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